Sunday, July 12, 2009

We attempted to teach our children to ride their bicycles today. We've got a long road ahead of us, my friends. LittleBird actually did fairly well, but I was damned glad to be behind the camera. Hubbie nearly broke his back bending over and running back and forth along the sidewalk next to the children. He was hot, sweaty and exhausted. The kids were ebullient. I? Sat on the grass snapping photographs in the cool comfort of our neighbors oak tree.

I suppose once they get it down, this will probably be a skill they never forget. However, just because you don't forget the skill does not mean you are good at it any longer. I know that when I ride my bike, it sure as shit is not as easy as when I was a child. It's hard work. And I know I do not have that sparkly grin on my face. More like a grimace. My hair does not flow in the breeze but is plastered to my forehead and neck as rivulets of sweat pour down my back. When the looks you see out of passing cars do not read Ah...look at that family riding their bikes, but instead Dear God! Is that woman about to have a stroke? make a day out on the bikes no place for hubris.

Luckily, today was merely bicycle boot camp for the kids. As I never have the opportunity to be in any of the photos, I made Hubbie snap a few at the end. Don't I look well-rested? Sitting in the shade definitely suits me.

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comments:

Bad parents that we are, we have waited until the boy turned 7. He spent the weekend in bike riding boot camp and is now quite proficient. Well, so long as his dad is huffing and puffing alongside him.

Here's what happens to me everyday. I leave the house with normal hair (I have bangs) and proceed to ride my bike to work. When i get to work my bangs have done some sort of back flip and I look like I've tried to style them all Farrah Fawcett and something went terribly wrong.

You're my role model for NOT SWEATING! Love that shot with you and the kids. LOVE it!

Cannot wait to see you in August! It's gonna be great. You'll be able to meet one of my sisters as well as my dear friend, Susan, from HIGH SCHOOL. We reconnected 20 years later after she found me on Facebook. CANNOT wait!

Contributors

Limning

There is a lot of stupidity in this world, and I have about had enough. I have a lot to say and in all fairness to those who know and love me, I am putting it all right here. I have another blog that is just for my regular family and friends. Pictures of the kids, sweet little paragraphs detailing their activities and the like. THIS blog is for me. Not my kids, not my parents. This is where we get to the meat of the matter. I am tired of smiling in the face of people and thinking WHAT THE FUCK? I know that I do not think or believe the way many of the sheep out there seem to. This blog proves it.

Gears and Cogs

Our Attempts At A Green Lifestyle:

We try to use cloth napkins or kitchen towels instead of paper towels when we clean up

I switched to a smaller coffee maker. There is less wasted coffee, there is a shorter brew time, and it therefore uses less engergy

We attempt to grow plants

I use a menstrual cup. Safer for me, cleaner for the environment

We get lots of hand-me-down toys and clothes and we pass everything along

We use FreeCycle and shop at thrift shops

I breastfed each child

My husband walks to work when he can

Instead of clay litter, we use cat sand made from wheat. Also from pine. In a happy accident, we found that by combining the two, we get better clumpage, less smell, and do not worry if the kids end up with a little in their mouths

We unplug other appliances like coffee makers, etc.

We have our media on the wall switch and turn it off at night. That makes SEVEN appliances that are turned off--not just on standby